Going Green (Part II)

Cathleen Falsani reports on the rock'n'roll arena show debut for the rentable, recyclable cup.

Been at one of the shows? Maybe you've spotted the r.Cup — a tall, clear, plastic beverage cup, decorated with the cyan-blue-and-black eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE logo, that's quickly become a popular keepsake for fans.

Or perhaps you've seen the green-and-white r.Cup stands set up in venues along the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE tour dates or stopped to have a chat with r.Cup staff about the cups.

The r.Cup is much more than just a cup - it's the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at reducing and mitigating the environmental impact of touring with a rock'n'roll show.

"The plastic crisis is now one of the most pressing environmental concerns worldwide," said Mike Martin, who leads the team working to make the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE Tour more environmentally friendly. "Endorsing the implementation of r.Cup at these shows is another example U2 and Live Nation investing in smart, tangible solutions to protect our planet."

The r.Cup is a rentable cup designed to eliminate single-use plastic cup waste. At concessions, when purchasing a beverage, you pay a $3 deposit for a high quality, tour-branded r.Cup to use during the show. At the end of the evening, you can return the cup at any r.Cup return stand near the exits - or to a team member wearing the bright green r.Cup shirt- and get the $3 deposit back. Or, if you prefer, you can take the r.Cup home as a keepsake.

All returned r.Cups are collected, washed, and sterilized, then shipped to future tour stops. The band's goal is one day to see zero waste from single-use plastic cups during any of their concerts.

"Single use plastics— even those made of biodegradable material— is an outdated approach in need of systematic change. With r.Cup we can inspire that kind of change in a way that rewards fans while removing hundreds of tons of plastic from the waste stream," said Martin, who has been working with U2 since 2009 when Live Nation commissioned him to address issues of sustainability on their tours.

"The band's early adoption of r.Cup is already having an impact across the industry as artists such as Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Jack Johnson, and others are now looking to implement the program, as are leading venues and festivals including Live Nation Amphitheaters across the country," he said. "U2 and Live Nation continue to be leaders in showing how global tours can address sustainability the right way. r.Cup continues a tradition started on the 360 Tour and joins efforts like offsetting CO2 emissions, donating excess catering supplies to local food banks, working with venues to adopt paper straws and engaging directly with fans on actions they can take."

Whenever she travels, including frequent trips to see U2 on the road, longtime fan Vanessa Yu of Vancouver, Canada, tries to make choices that promote sustainability and a healthy environment, whether it's carrying a reusable water bottle, not using plastic straws, taking public transportation whenever she can, or booking hotels that have positive "green" ratings or are LEED certified.

"If I can find accommodations that have those, I'm more apt to use them even if the price is a little higher," said Yu, who is part of a team at the healthcare laboratory where she works that advocates for sustainable and waste-minimizing practices in the workplace. "I try to buy products that have that kind of an ethos…in the hotel, I don't let them change my towels every day—simple stuff."

Yu said she was delighted when she heard the r.Cup was available at the eXPERIENCE + iNNOCENCE shows she attended in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. After the first show in Vegas, she wound up with eight r.Cups. "I have a full set now," she laughed, and was quick to add, "But I didn't drink that much beer!" Yu bought a few beverages that came with the reusable cups and collected others.

Adam Phillips, a fan from Portland, Oregon, said he'd heard about the r.Cup before coming to his first show of the new tour at the Forum in Los Angeles earlier this month, and purposely sought out a vendor at the arena who had the environmentally-friendly cups available before he ordered his first beer of the night.

"A lot of us are waking up to the fact that the key to resistance is a resilient earth, and that's why it's so great seeing the band lead with the r.Cup," Phillips said. "Every cup makes a difference."

COMMENTS

did not see these in London, just usual throw away ones, mind you at £7 a pint perhaps they didn't want to add another £2

carolvisintin

26 July, 2018

Milan, 11th October 2018

In Milan?

peterdiaz

05 June, 2018

Canada?

Oddly absent at the Montreal show.

Cooper the Beagle

05 June, 2018

Clever, But....

I know I am out there on this, but why not charge $3 to rent, and if you do not return the cup, $1 more (total of $4). All done via e-pay systems. When at 24hrs post-event no record of returned cup, you get charged the additional fee for taking the cup.
That way it really enhances the whole idea of recycling the cups and gives a (dis) incentive by making you think about paying a little more to take cup; or doing what it really is intended to do, recycle the plastic and get 'deposit' $ back.
And the additional $1 raised? All goes to me for this idea. [ joke... ]
OK, not really; but how about a non profit that has to be out there somewhere whose mission is to clean up the plastic trash island that is the size of Texas, floating in the Pacific.....

Judith86

05 June, 2018

Bravo

That's a great initiative, congrats on that! Hope to see that in Europe too :)

DeirdreGert

04 June, 2018

Green

That’s fantastic!!! Great to hear about going green

PMPPeralta

04 June, 2018

GoGreenInParis @JTTour

Payed 2 or 3 extra euros to buy this cup at JTT in Paris... good idea.
Brought the cup back with me to Lisbon as a souvenir!
:)

missvelvetdress_75

02 June, 2018

Got mine in Atlanta

Thank you for doing this. Was happy to see that they were available in Atlanta.

bschoenbaum

02 June, 2018

r.Cup

The cups are fantastic and a great way to minimize waste! Nice job!

lindal

30 May, 2018

r.cup

I was hoping to get a cup or two at the Chicago show but heard they weren't available there. Wish we were able to get them here on u2.com.

philwheadon

30 May, 2018

?

Did we not have these last year on JTT? swear I paid extra £2 for a pint in London

JessLee

29 May, 2018

Fiya/brilliant

This cup thing is BRILLIANT, well done. Please play fire, or wire, or your blue room, or ok, maybe not ur blue room......but daddy's crashed car, (not because i don't like ur blue room, but maybe best listened to in my pumpkin room) What about, MAN AND A WOMAN!!!!!!!!!